The Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam train is special in that they maintain and operate three coal fired steam locomotives. During the busy Christmas season all three can be found un... (more)

The Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam train is special in that they maintain and operate three coal fired steam locomotives. During the busy Christmas season all three can be found un... (more)

Stepping out over Deep River Creek. Valley Railroad Consolidation #97 rumbles across the steel bridge over Deep River Creek as she hauls the 2PM North Pole Express toward North Chester, CT.... (more)

Pere Marquette #1225 steams by the Carland elevator on its way to Ashley with the second-to-last Christmas train of the season.

Debut of the (finally!) operational #819 leading a day-long North Pole Express run to Watertown. Subsequent NPE's turned back to Nashville before they reached this spot.

North Pole Express 2021 After taking a year off due to COVID, the Friends of the 261 brought back the North Pole Express trips for 2021. Milwaukee Road 261 is sharing duties with E9 32A... (more)

Milwaukee Road 261 has just arrived at the "North Pole" with the 4:30 North Pole Express. From this angle, only the Christmas lights on the cab give away the fact that 261 has been deco... (more)

#819, in its L&N inspired paint, is finally on the road. I have been photographing this one sitting in Nashville in various states of paint & rehab for 20 years....so never give up hope. The rec... (more)

For 20 years (yes!) I have watched the progress on the repaint and rehab of this locomotive in Nashville. 20 years. And today, right after Thanksgiving on a sold-out round trip to Watertown, it ... (more)

WSOR 101 brings up the rear of the Milwaukee Road #261's North Pole Express.

Side by side at the Deep River Station, the Valley Railroad's 40 and 3025 put on a show worthy of a steam engine reunion gathering on Sunday, Decemebr 22, 2019.

The Valley Railroad's 3025 arrives at the "North Pole" at the Deep River Station on the afternoon of December 22, 2019 as the Santa's team awaits on the platform. The Chinese built 2-8-... (more)

On Sunday, December 22, 2019, Essex Steam Train & Riverboat 40 (Alco, 1920) was hauling the North Pole Express up the Connecticut River in Deep River, CT. This was one of three different steam loc... (more)

PM 1225 cuts through the fog leading the North Pole Express.

Heavy fog in the early morning greatly limited visibility on this Sunday morning. Here, Pere Marquette 1225 passes a bare tree just outside of Owosso.